Orthopedic operating tables, in particular for operating on the lower limbs, already exist which enable surgeons to operate under relatively comfortable conditions. These tables are generally constituted by a relatively large stand suitable for fixing on the ground. The top of the stand supports a base on which one or two flaps are generally fixed offset from one of the sides of the base for the purpose of supporting the trunk and the head of the patient. On its side opposite to the side supporting the flaps, the base supports two beams articulated substantially about two points situated at a relatively short distance from each other, said beams being generally longer than the lower limbs of a person and serving to carry, inter alia auxiliary elements suitable, for example, for fixing the feet and possibly intermediate bearing surfaces for holding the leg at the knee, given that these bearing surfaces must be capable of being displaced along the beams substantially between their two ends.
Such a table also includes, a pelvis support which is generally positioned on the base and which serves to hold the pelvis of the patient and also to position the crutch at a well-determined reference point which is fixed relative to the base so as to enable the surgeon to position and align each limb of the patient properly prior to resetting the fractures as well as possible, so that the patient will be able to use the fractured limb(s) in their original configuration after healing.
However, these operations become more complicated when it is necessary in difficult cases to perform the operation with radiographic assistance, and more particularly when continuous radiographic monitoring is required. In order to perform operations under such conditions, the table is associated with a source emitting radiographic radiation (generally X-rays) and a receiver for receiving the radiation emitted by the source, of the scintilation camera type, suitable for processing and scanning the received image and, optionally, of displaying it on a video screen, for example. Adding such items to an operating table considerably increases the bulk of the structure overall and the surgeon must operate under more cramped conditions.
During such operations, it is necessary to dispose the pair of radiographic items, i.e. the source of radiation and the receiver, in such a manner as to ensure they are positioned as well as possible relative to each other and relative to the limb being examined. Unfortunately, the table support or a table-raising platform, together with the beams and associated apparatuses, constitute numerous obstacles which get in the way of and limit the extent to which these two items can be moved in translation or rotation.
THe object of the present invention is to mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an orthopedic operating table, in particular for the lower limbs, which enables a surgeon to operate under optimum ease-of-use conditions, and which together with the various associated items such as a source of radiographic radiation and its receiver constitute an assembly which takes up as little room as possible.